You can buy Enfield's newest motor now

The new Royal Enfield Classic 500 motorcycles aren't for sale in the United States yet but the time to order one of these bikes -- referred to as the C-5 -- may be now (see previous post).

It's important to note that Royal Enfield motorcycles with unit-constructed engines, fuel-injection and front disk brakes ARE at dealers now.

These are the 2009 G-5 Royal Enfields. They have the Electra body style, more modern looking than the all-retro C-5. Interestingly, they also come with old-fashioned kick start in addition to push-button starters. The C-5s will not have kickstart levers. The G-5s also have lower suggested retail prices.

Some dealers already are advertising these brand new bikes on CraigsList and eBay, creating a bit of a dilemma for me. I do include new Royal Enfields in the listings on this blog, even ones advertised by dealers. But so far I have not listed the latest unit-constructed models here.

Why? Well, I figured that readers would expect the latest models to be available at dealers, so there was no need to mention them. According to the ads I'm seeing, the bikes are there for you.

It's amusing to see what the dealers choose to emphasize in their ads. "Leak free," notes the dealer in Osseo, Minn. "Automatic valve adjustment."

Rapid Cycle in South Jordan, Utah includes a string of new features in its ad for the new G-5. In particular, it notes that the muffler (some consider it unsightly) can be changed without remapping the fuel injection. In other words, a nicer looking one is an option!